Southern Africa is endowed with a complex network of river systems, which are formed extensively from shared watercourses. 15 of the river basins within the region are shared between one or more countries, 13 of which are shared fully within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region. Cooperation is needed to promote sustainable management, development, and use of these shared water resources. This was one of the recommendations given during the special session on river basin organisations convened by SADC, OKACOM, and GWPSA on 20 October 2022 at the 23rd WaterNet/ WARFSA/ GWPSA Symposium.
The Continental Africa Water Investment Programme - Gender Transformative Water, Climate and Development (AIP WACDEP-G) Programme has brought to the fore the need for African governments to address issues of gender inequality if they are to effectively achieve water security and climate resilience.
Government, private sector, civil society officials and traditional leaders in Zambia’s Mazabuka District can now more effectively outline roadmaps for gender activities for water and climate change programmes being implemented by their institutions and communities, following a training that the Global Water Partnership Zambia (GWP Zambia) conducted in the district.
Multi stakeholders involved in Integrated Catchment Management (ICM) vowed their commitment and sustainability initiatives and acceleration of collaborations to restore land and water resources in the mountain kingdom of Lesotho during the ReNOKA Operational Planning (OP) process in Maseru.The stakeholders from NGO’s, private and public sectors, made this commitment after coming together to discuss the issues of natural resources management and pledged to work together during a two-day workshop that began on 23 November 2022.
The 27th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP27) in Egypt wrapped up on Sunday 20th November with a historic agreement for a fund to help vulnerable countries cope with climate impacts.
The GIZ, GWPSA, and Lesotho Integrated Catchment Management (ICM) Coordination Unit (CU) undertook a learning exchange mission in Zambia from 24th to 28th October 2022, to capture best practices and experiences in catchment protection and restoration in the country. This engagement was aimed at the technical public service directors and heads of mandated institutions responsible for water, land, meteorology, local government, environment, food, and agriculture.
The Ministry of Water and Sanitation in Malawi is championing a process to understand and find solutions to the country’s three major barriers to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 6 so that the country can focus on interventions that directly address the challenges.
As an official intergovernmental observer to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and a core partner of COP27’s Water Pavilion, GWP actively prepared for this year’s COP by promoting discussion of the vital role of good water management for increasing climate resilience throughout the year.
Southern Africa Development Community Member States have embraced the integrated planning and implementation of projects in the water, energy and food (WEF) sectors, with 14 holding national dialogues where they identified priority investment projects that could be taken further for bankability and mobilising financing for Implementation.
